


Prove It

by DivorcedMoonlight



Series: ClexaWeek2021 [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Crushes, Denial of Feelings, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Jealousy, Mutual Pining, Pining, Useless Lesbians, Useless bisexual, eventual clexa i swear
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 16:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29811267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DivorcedMoonlight/pseuds/DivorcedMoonlight
Summary: Lexa has had a crush on her best friend Clarke since they were in highschool. Now in college, Clarke is pushing her to get a girlfriend, and Lexa has to do something to get her off her back. Eventual Clexa I swear.
Relationships: Clarke Griffin & Lexa, Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Finn Collins/Clarke Griffin, Lexa/Raven Reyes, Octavia Blake/Raven Reyes
Series: ClexaWeek2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2191368
Comments: 49
Kudos: 196
Collections: Clexaweek2021





	1. Bet

Lexa swore that her best friend was trying to kill her. Clarke Griffin was standing in their dorm room in just a thong and a lacy black bra. She was holding up different dresses, chattering about outfit choices and date venues, but Lexa was barely listening. 

She’d had a crush on her best friend since they were in high school and for the most part she was able to push it aside and live her normal pining lesbian life, but sometimes…

Sometimes Clarke decided that she had to spend two hours nearly naked, figuring out which dress was suitable for a formal, but not too formal, first date in a nice, but not too nice, restaurant, with the handsome, but not too handsome, Finn Collins. And Lexa was just left staring and drooling, then chastising herself for objectifying her friend. Her friend who would never ever see her that way.

“Hey! Earth to Lex!” Clarke’s voice cut through her self-pitying tirade. 

“What? Yeah, sorry, um I like the red one.”

Clarke looked at the two dresses in her hands, one blue and one black. “Bruh.”

Lexa’s cheeks flushed pink. “Um, ya know, I really have to see them on.”

“Oh! Of course! You haven't seen these ones yet!” Clarke tossed one of the dresses on to her bed and then slipped the other over her shoulders. 

Lexa felt a pang of disappointment as the fabric covered her body, but it was quickly eclipsed by total gay panic when Clarke turned around and beamed at her. The black dress was simple, with thin straps and a thigh slit up the left leg. It was low cut, showing off Clarke’s chest and the silver flower pendant that Lexa had given her years ago. 

“So what do you think?”

Lexa let her eyes wander for a moment as she mentally tried to re-find her ability to speak. “Yeah I think that’s the one. You look stunning.” Miraculously, her voice didn’t shake. 

Clarke grinned. “Great! I’ve been wanting to use this one.” She busied herself at the mirror, tying up her hair into a half ponytail and slipping in simple silver earrings. 

“Ya know Lex, we really have to get you a date.”

Lexa’s head snapped up. “What??”

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Oh come oooon! You haven’t dated anyone since that disastrous Costia back in highschool. It is beyond time for you to get back out there. This is a liberal arts school you know. I think every other girl is some variant of gay. And a few of them are quite good kissers.” Seeing Lexa’s wince at her words, Clarke grinned into the mirror. 

“Come on! I know you’re a useless lesbian and all, but come out with me tomorrow night. I bet I can find you a girlfriend.”

Lexa’s shock had turned to indignation. “Hey! I don’t need you to find me a date!”

Her best friend turned back to her, one eyebrow raised. “Oh yeah? Can we talk about the fact that Nihla had a crush on you for two years and tried to ask you out and you thought she was just being nice?? Or how about when you and Costia first got together! She asked you to dinner and you didn’t know you were on a date till she had you half undressed in her bedroom!!!”

Lexa huffed and crossed her arms. “That was different! I can get my own girlfriend thank you very much.”

A mischievous grin spread across Clarke’s face. “Bet.”

“What.” Lexa’s eyes widened and she immediately dropped her arms. “What??”

“Bet! Prove it. Come with me tomorrow night and find yourself a date.” Clarke was nearly nose to nose with her best friend, feeling warmth coil in her belly. She’d always loved antagonizing Lexa like this. She loved seeing the way she could never back down from a challenge. The determination in her eyes. Her gaze flicked down to Lexa’s lips for just a moment before she pulled herself away. 

Lexa looked like she’d just been struck by lightning. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her heart had stopped in her chest. Clarke just giggled and winked, blowing a kiss to her stunned roommate as she walked out the door towards the bathroom. Lexa watched her leave, then fell face first onto her bed. 

“I am so fucked.”

Groaning, the sophomore groped for her phone and turned to the side so she could see it light up. She scrolled through her messages and typed off a quick text to her friend, Raven.

Lexa: I need a favor.

Raven: Sup freshie?

Lexa rolled her eyes. She and Raven had met last year in Glassblowing 101. Lexa had thought it was a cool way to get rid of her art credit, and Raven had wanted to expand her expertise with torches to more than just welding. Raven was only a year older, but she loved to remind Lexa of that at every chance.

Lexa: I have to find a date.

Raven: Why?

Lexa: A bet.

Raven: Do we not remember the great final project shatter incident of 19? Have we not learned anything about backing down from unnecessary challenges?

Lexa: Shut up Reyes. 

Raven: At least now you have an excuse to ask your hottie roommate out.

Lexa: NO! I have a plan already. Listen, just meet me for dinner? Clarke has a date. I’ll explain then.

Raven: Sure freshmeat

The door opened just as Lexa closed her phone and sat up. Clarke was fussing with her hair again, her lip caught in between her teeth. 

God it has to be illegal to be that pretty. Lexa thought silently. “Clarke you look wonderful. I’m sure Finn will be more than impressed.”

“Thanks Lex.” She smiled at her friend, then grabbed her purse and checked the time on her phone. “Okay, I have to get going. Can’t say how late I’ll be out, but I’ll text you if it will be any later than midnight.”

“Sounds good.” Lexa said as she hopped off her bed and slipped on a hoodie. “I’m gonna go get dinner.”

Clarke nodded and kissed her on the cheek, a customary goodbye for them that always made Lexa’s stomach flutter. 

“You should facebook stalk the softball team. They’re throwing tomorrow’s party and like all of them are gay.” Clarke tossed her hair over her shoulder as she opened the door. “Bye cutie!” She called over her shoulder as she walked out into the hallway. 

Lexa closed the door behind her and leaned against the wall, hitting her head on the door frame. “This girl is gonna kill me.” With a sigh, she grabbed her keys and popped her head into the hallway, making sure Clarke was already gone before she made her way to the dining hall. 

oOo

Raven was already devouring her third piece of pizza as Lexa absentmindedly pushed limp pieces of spinach around in her salad. 

“So what’s this plan of yours?” Raven mumbled through a mouthful of mozzarella. 

“Look, Clarke bet me that I couldn't find my own girlfriend. And if I don’t prove that I can, she’s never going to let it go. I’ll be sent on blind dates with her art friends or set up on Tinder or something, and I just cannot handle that.” Lexa dropped her head into her hands. 

“Right. Cause you’re in love with your best friend.”

“Raven!!” Lexa looked around wildly to see if any of Clarke’s many friends were sitting near them. “Not so loud!” She paused and saw Raven’s expectant look. “And I’m not in love with her!”

“Sure you’re not commander.” An evil glint lit up her eyes as Raven ducked out of the way of Lexa’s playful punch. 

“I told you not to call me that!” Lexa hissed. 

Raven shrugged. “Not my fault you chose to tell me about that little dream of yours.”

“God it was ONCE!” Lexa groaned and dropped her head to the table, exasperated. 

“Alright alright kiddo. I’m sorry. Now what’s this plan of yours?” Raven nudged Lexa’s shoulder. 

The younger girl looked up at her. “I can’t have an actual girlfriend, but I can’t have Clarke on a mission to set me up either. So….”

She looked at her friend hopefully. Raven narrowed her eyes, then jerked back and shook her head. “Oh no no no no. You want me to pretend to be your girlfriend just so you can fool your best friend and roommate whom you’ve been hopelessly in love with for six years?? Hell no.”

“Raven please? You’re my only friend that Clarke doesn’t already know.”

The engineer rolled her eyes. “What’s in it for me?”

“Free dates. Free food.” Lexa arched an eyebrow as Raven suddenly perked up. 

“Well, when you put it that way…Alright Lexa. I’ll be your fake girlfriend on one condition.”

“Which is?”

“If all this blows up in your face, you have to ask Clarke out for real.”

Lexa scoffed. It wasn’t going to blow up. She had the whole thing planned. She’d never have to follow through on that. “Deal.”

Raven beamed. “Great! When’s our first date?”

“We’re gonna meet at the softball party tomorrow.”

“God Lexa! Softball?! Could you get any gayer??” Raven groaned. 

Lexa rolled her eyes. She seemed to do that a lot around Raven. “Just be there. And be convincing.”

When Lexa got back to her room after dinner, she grabbed Clarke’s pillow and tossed it onto her own bed. It was a game between them, stealing pillows, blankets, clothes, you name it. Clarke probably does it to annoy me Lexa mused to herself. But she did it for...other reasons. She reached under her bed and grabbed a book from her makeshift bookshelves. 

She settled down against Clarke’s pillow, breathing in the scent of her flowery shampoo, and flipped over the book to see its title. 

“Pride and Prejudice. Great.” Lexa rolled her eyes and tossed the book back under her bed. She was NOT reading about more pining desperate lovers. Grabbing the next one she felt, she brought up a slender paperback. 

“Romeo and Juliet? Jesus!” Lexa threw that one back under too and reached for her laptop. She might as well get some school work done then. 

Clarke came home late, well past 2am. Lexa was curled up in bed when she walked in. Giggling, Clarke walked over and kissed her best friend’s forehead. 

“Night Lex.” She was too tired to notice the way Lexa stiffened underneath her, or hear the slight intake of breath when Clarke’s hand accidentally landed on a blanket-covered thigh. 

Clarke stripped out of her dress and climbed into her warm bed, looking briefly over at the sleeping form of her roommate. Smiling, she reached back for her blue pillow but only hit the cinderblock wall. Puzzled, Clarke turned on her bed lamp and checked the floor. When she didn’t see the pillow, she looked over to Lexa’s bed. Sure enough, there was her pillow, held tight in her friend’s arms. She smiled and turned off the lamp, rolling over to grab the stuffed bunny she had stolen from Lexa’s bed the night before. As she drifted off, she distantly noted that the bunny smelled like her roommate’s coconut and mango body wash, and she fell asleep with a smile on her lips.


	2. Corn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Lexa now dating Raven, Clarke comes to some realizations that surprise no one but her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read and commented and left kudos!! I'm going to write for the rest of ClexaWeek too, and you can find the rest of those on my page! You can also follow me on Tumblr @DivorcedMoonlight to offer prompts or request other Clexa fics.

Clarke was surprised when she found Lexa chatting up another brunette. She had low key stalked them the entire night, watching Lexa and the other girl laugh and joke and talk together. They were practically inseparable. Clarke felt something needle in the back of her brain, but she pushed it down like she always did and continued to joke around with her other friends. 

Lexa made a great show of “getting to know” Raven, and, to her credit, Raven played her part perfectly. They actually had a great time at the party, and for the first time in months, Lexa found herself thinking about something other than her gorgeous roommate. She just talked and laughed with Raven, complaining about professors and making fun of the faculty. They played beer pong with the softball girls, and Lexa got more than one drunken kiss on the cheek. 

When the night was over, Lexa gave Raven an affectionate kiss on the cheek and heard her whisper “Did I do alright?”

Lexa smiled and whispered back, “You were fantastic. Thank you.”

Raven winked at her and ran off onto the quad, waving and grinning back at her. Lexa heard footsteps behind her and turned to see Clarke smiling and walking towards her. 

“Looks like you didn’t need my help after all, cutie.” Clarke let the pet name roll off her tongue like she always did, but something tasted a little bitter about it now. “Whoops, I guess I shouldn’t call you that now hm?” She chuckled, but there was little mirth in her voice. 

Lexa just shrugged. “I don’t think Raven will care.” 

In actuality, Lexa loved when Clarke used cute names for her, and she didn’t want it to stop just because she was fake dating her friend. The use of ‘cutie’ and ‘sweetheart’ were always evidence that Raven used to claim that Clarke liked her, but it was just how they had always referred to each other. 

Clarke hooked her arm through Lexa’s and tugged her back towards their dorm. “Come on. Let’s get home and you can tell me all about her.”

As they walked in the door, Clarke threw off her heels and flopped down onto her bed. “God the softball girls know how to throw a party. I think my head is still throbbing in time to the music.”

Lexa just smiled and changed into her pajamas. “Yeah I had more fun than I expected.”

Clarke propped her head up and grinned at her friend. “Heck yeah you did! So tell me all about this Raven.”

Lexa’s back was to Clarke, so she didn't see the steadying breath and lip biting that occurred before she turned back around. 

“Well, I met her in glassblowing last year. She’s a junior studying mechanical engineering. She’s funny and loud and unashamedly confident.” Lexa realized quickly that those were characteristics that she actually liked about Clarke, and she flushed pink.

“Oh my god! You’re blushing!!” Clarke teased. 

Lexa threw a pillow at her. “Shut up.” But she couldn't hide the small smile that followed Clarke’s melodic laughter. 

“So what happened with Finn? You never told me how the date went.” Lexa picked at her nails, decidedly not making eye contact. 

Clarke just groaned. “God he’s nice enough I guess but soooo boring. I just don’t think online dating is my thing.” She flopped onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “Or maybe I just need to lay off guys for a while and find me a nice softball girl.”

“I’ve always said that the solution to guy trouble is to be a lesbian.” Lexa teased nonchalantly, but her heart skipped a beat.

She was still messing with her nails, so she missed the forlorn look that Clarke shot her. The blonde closed her eyes and sighed. She hadn’t dated a girl in years. Not since before meeting Lexa. Sure, she’d kissed and messed around with a few of the girls from the softball team, but she hadn’t had a meaningful relationship with any of them. And her longest relationship with a guy had been Bellamy Blake the year before, and that only lasted 3 months.

But all Clarke said was, “Yeah. Maybe.”

A comfortable silence filled the room as they got ready for bed. Lexa pointedly did not watch Clarke get undressed, and Clarke tried not to think about the nagging feeling in her stomach that she’d been trying to suppress since the party. Once they were both settled, Clarke reached for the lights and flicked them off. 

“Goodnight Lex. And don’t think I didn’t notice that you took my pillow again.”

Lexa snorted. “And don’t think I didn’t notice that you stole my rabbit again!”

Clarke hugged the stuffed animal a little tighter. “I like the way he fits in my arms. You know I have to cuddle something if I’m going to fall asleep. If you take my second pillow, what else do you expect me to wrap my arms around??”

Lexa stiffened. Sometimes on their sleepovers in high school Clarke would roll over in her sleep and cuddle up to Lexa. But in the morning she had always refused to acknowledge it. 

“Goodnight Clarke.”

Clarke sighed quietly. “Yeah. Goodnight Lex.” She stared at the ceiling, her mind turning over and over. Annoyed, she scrunched her eyes shut and clenched her fists. 

No. She thought to herself. You got over this years ago. You’re not allowed to go back on it now.

Rolling over, Clarke counted the cracks in her wall and stubbornly refused to think about her best friend until she finally fell asleep.

oOo

Lexa found it really easy to “date” Raven. They went out every weekend for dinner or bowling or a movie, and they really just screwed around and had fun. Raven showed up to her door one Friday dressed in a full suit and gave her a corsage, only to take her out to McDonald’s. Lexa had always been more of a stay in the dorm type of student. She had rarely gone out except to club activities or with Clarke and their wider group of friends. But she and Raven just had fun together. Raven would gush about her current crush, and Lexa would listen and offer advice, and Raven would do the same with her feelings about Clarke. 

To her credit, Clarke always asked how the dates went, but Lexa rarely gave many details, and Clarke didn’t press for more. Not much changed in their routine. They still had dinner together and still had movie nights on nights they didn’t want to do their homework, and they still hung out with their friends for most of the weekend. Lexa just had one night a week that she went out with Raven instead. She would always be dropped back off at the room by Raven, the two of them laughing and smiling and having a great time, and Clarke pointedly ignored the subtle pit in her stomach each time. 

One Friday night, Lexa and Raven had gone out to the opening of a new art museum, which Clarke was pretty sure was code because she had never heard of the “Beezness” art museum. Clarke called her friend Octavia for dinner together, which led to Clarke with her head down on the table while Octavia flung pieces of corn into her hair. 

“Jesus Blake cut that out.”

“Well, Griffin, maybe you should stop drooling over your roommate and actually have dinner with me.” Another piece of corn hit Clarke’s forehead. 

Scowling, the blonde wiped the offending food off her head and glared at her friend. “I am not drooling.”

Octavia flicked her spoon again, cackling when the corn hit Clarke square between the eyes. “Fuck Clarke! You have been dough-eyed in love with her since I met you!

Clarke rubbed her eyes and groaned. “No. Listen. I...I was over her. I swear I was. I liked her a long time ago but she was with Costia! And then she cheated and Lexa was destroyed and she didn’t want anything to do with dating so I got over her!”

Octavia rolled her eyes. “Christ Griffin I know. We had this ENTIRE CONVERSATION when my brother dumped you because you were in love with her! You denied it then and you’re denying it now.”

Clarke dropped her head back to the table, a little harder than intended. “Ow.”

The softball player smirked. “I was so sure you two were finally going to get together after that.”

“I didn’t tell her.” Came the mumbled reply. 

“Didn’t tell her what?”

Clarke groaned into the table. “I didn’t tell her why Bellamy broke up with me.”

This time, Octavia flung an entire spoonful of corn at her. “Fucking christ Clarke, why??”

Shaking the corn out of her hair, the art student gritted her teeth and glared at her friend. “First of all, stop with the fucking corn. Second, because I don’t like her! Not...anymore anyway.” She paused and dropped her head again. “I don’t think.”

There was a long pause while Octavia just raised an eyebrow and Clarke sunk lower and lower in her chair. She thought back over the last month or so, all the late nights when Lexa came back with Raven and Clarke had to look away. Or all the times she’d been out on dates with guys and wondered what her beautiful roommate was doing. All the stolen cheek and forehead kisses. All the times she had pointedly changed in front of Lexa, showing off, or the times she’d stolen looks when Lexa changed. All the pet names, the stolen pillows, the cuddling movie nights when one of them had a bad day. 

“Fuck.” Clarke closed her eyes defeatedly. 

Octavia used her napkin to wipe all the corn of the table and onto her plate. “Yeah. I thought so. Look. I really think Lexa likes you too. And I think you should talk to her about all of this.”

“I can’t. She’s with Raven.”

“Yeahhhhh I don’t think that’s what you think it is.”

Clarke shook her head and collected her barely touched dishes. “Either way, I’m not going to jeopardize that. Whatever I’m feeling, I need to get over it.”

Octavia stood with her empty dishes and corn-filled napkins. “Right. Cause that obviously worked out for you last time.”

“I…” Clarke opened and closed her mouth, trying to find the words to argue back. 

“Clarke, the entire goddamn softball team knows that you’re the hopeless gay girl who likes to fuck around but never actually date. Literally everyone but you and Lexa know that you love her.”

Fuck. Had she really been that much of a player? Clarke stared at Octavia, but all she could say was “I’m not gay.”

“Ugh Bisexual, pansexual, whatever. You like girls. Specifically, you like Lexa.”

Clarke fell silent as they put away their dishes and walked out of the dining hall. As they climbed the stairs back into their dorm, Clarke sighed and ran a hand through her hair. 

“I didn’t think I did. Or didn’t realize that I did? I really told myself I was over her. But I guess...I thought that if she got a girlfriend and we could both be dating people, maybe I would stop doubting it.”

Octavia snorted. “Right cause that has ever worked in the history of mutual pining.”

“I’m not pining!”

They reached the door and Octavia held out a hand to stop them both. “For god’s sake Clarke I am so over talking in circles like this. Figure out your feelings and talk to your fucking roommate.”

Opening the door, Clarke glared at Octavia. “I’m gonna kill you if you think I’m gonna-”

“Hi Lexa!” Octavia nearly shouted. 

Clarke froze for a moment before turning into the room. Lexa was sitting on her bed, a pencil behind her ear and open notebooks all around her. 

“Hi Octavia?” She said, tilting her head and looking at them quizzically. 

“Heyyyy Lex. Um Octavia was just leaving.” Clarke shoved her back out the door before the brunette could say anything that would certainly get her in trouble. She leaned against the door for a moment, trying to get her heart to stop racing.

“You have corn in your hair.”

Clarke’s eyes flicked over to her gorgeous roommate. Her lips were quirked in a wry smile and her green eyes sparkled. Reaching up to her hair, she tried to find the stupid vegetable, but Lexa just chuckled and waved her over. 

“Here.” She picked the kernel carefully out of her hair and tossed it in the trash can. “A souvenir from your dinner with Octavia?”

Clarke flushed red. “Uh. Yeah.” She busied herself by combing her fingers through her hair for any left over corn and missed the way Lexa shifted and bit her lip nervously. 

The blonde’s eyes strayed to Lexa’s desk, where a gorgeous red rose laid gingerly over her textbooks. Her stomach twisted. 

“A good date with Raven then?” Her voice was a little higher than usual, but Lexa didn’t notice. 

She followed Clarke’s gaze to the rose and coughed. “Um. Yeah.”

Clarke saw the blush that crawled up Lexa’s neck and felt her stomach twist again. Of course it was a good date you idiot. Just look at how she’s blushing. 

Lexa took a deep, shaky breath and closed her notebook. Clarke looked down and noticed her fidgeting fingers. 

“Lex? Are you okay?”

Clenching her hands into fists, Lexa took another deep breath and tried to steady her racing heart. 

“Clarke, I need to tell you something.”


	3. Roses and Ramblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raven finally sits Lexa down and knocks some much-needed sense into her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone reading and commenting! I can't tell you how awesome it feels to get feedback!! There will be at least one more chapter and maybe an epilogue (if you want it).

When Lexa opened the door, Raven was standing there in jeans and a hoodie. She pecked Lexa on the cheek and walked into the room. Clarke barely glanced up at the pair before wincing and burying her head back in her book. 

“Where are you guys off to tonight?”

Raven grinned. “Opening of the new Beeznus Art Museum.” 

Lexa nearly choked as she pulled on her boots, but managed to turn it into a cough. 

Clarke looked Raven up and down and raised an eyebrow. “That isn’t exactly appropriate attire for a Museum opening.”

“Psh Griffin! I don’t have to follow society’s rules.”

Clarke just shook her head and turned back to her book. 

“Right. Anyway, we won’t be out late. I’ll be back for movie night okay?” Lexa directed at Clarke from the doorway. 

Clarke smiled softly at her. “Course Lex. Have fun.” 

Lexa felt her stomach flutter at the sight of that smile, but she just nodded and walked out the door, pushing Raven in front of her. Once in the hallway, she sighed and squared her shoulders. 

“So where are we really going?”

“What??” Raven exclaimed indignantly. “I am offended, freshie, that you would accuse me of lying!”

Lexa rolled her eyes. “This entire relationship is a lie Raven.”

“What???” She looked like a smacked puppy. “You mean you don’t love me with all your little lesbian heart??”

“Oh my god Reyes.” Lexa shoved her friend and started down the hallway. “Now, where are we really going?”

The other girl jogged to catch up. “You’ll see.”

oOo

“Raven. What the fuck?”

The two girls were standing outside a florist and Lexa was looking suspiciously at the colorful bouquets. Raven was taking a picture of a sign on the door that advertised their hours. 

“Cool. We still have two hours.” She pocketed her phone and grabbed Lexa’s hand, leading her down the street. 

“Two hours for what?”

“Two hours for me to show you why you’re an idiot.”

“Excuse me??” 

Raven stopped in front of a small book store and pulled Lexa inside. “What kind of book would Clarke like?”

Lexa’s lips pulled involuntarily into a small smile. “She likes magic. Fantasy.” 

Raven scanned the shelves and grabbed a thick hardcover. “How about this one?” She opened the front cover to read the summary. “Dragons, feminism, magic swords.”

Lexa took the book and skimmed through the first few pages. “Yeah probably, why?”

Raven dragged her over to the counter. “Get it for her.”

“What? Why?”

“Will you just do it Woods?”

Lexa rolled her eyes, but handed over her debit card. It wasn’t like buying small gifts for her best friend was a rare occurrence. Raven had the clerk wrap the book up in plain brown paper and tie it with some string, then she was dragging Lexa back out again.

“Okay next is the bakery. What kind of cake does Clarke like?”

“Chocolate with raspberry.” Lexa wrested her hand from Raven’s grip and stopped on the sidewalk. “What’s going on? What are you doing?”

Raven groaned and turned back to her friend. “The talk is meant to be after we visit the bakery, so that we get there before they close.”

“What talk?!” Lexa asked indignantly. “You haven’t given me a single word about what we are doing tonight!”

Raven sighed and gestured to a nearby bench. “Alright kiddo. If you insist on wrecking my plans, I suppose I will humor you.”

Lexa walked over and sat down, but Raven remained standing in front of her. 

“Look Lexa, you have liked Clarke since Costia right?”

The lesbian winced. “I...yeah. She really helped me get over...that. I wasn’t interested in dating for a really long time, but falling for Clarke really was never something I had control over.”

Raven waved her hand, cutting her off. “Yeah yeah, super cute. My point is, you have liked this girl for years, and you have never said anything.”

“Well, I wasn’t ready to date anyone at fi-”

“That isn’t now.” Raven interrupted again. “Are you ready to date someone now?”

Lexa glared at her but said nothing. Raven raised an eyebrow. “Well?”

“Am I going to get interrupted again?” Lexa huffed. 

“Probably. But answer my question anyway.”

“No. I’m not going to date anyone now. I still like Clarke.”

Raven held up a finger. “Ah. But what if you were dating Clarke?”

Lexa bit her lip and sighed. “That’s not going to happen Raven. She doesn’t like me that way.”

Raven held up a hand. “Okay. My turn to talk.”

Lexa let out a strangled sound. “Your turn??”

“Yes. Hush.”

Lexa scowled as Raven crossed her arms and glared at her. 

“I think Clarke does like you, but honestly that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you and I cannot keep fake dating for the rest of our lives, and we can’t fake break up because I really enjoy having you as my friend.”

“Love you too Raven.” Lexa smiled. 

Raven smirked. “Yeah yeah don’t get all mushy on me Woods. I’m not done yelling at you yet.” She sat down next to Lexa and put a hand on her knee. 

“We can’t keep up this lie, but you can’t keep lying to Clarke about your feelings either. What happens the next time she wants to set you up because she has no idea why you’re actually not dating? How can you possibly move on if she doesn’t know the truth?”

Raven paused to gauge Lexa’s reaction. She was staring straight at Raven, her expression sad and resigned. 

“And more importantly, how can you be sure that she would say no if you never ask?”

“She would say no.” Lexa said quietly. 

“But you can’t be sure of that if you don’t ask. And if she does say no, then you will mourn for a few weeks, but you will finally be able to actually move on. You won’t be stuck in limbo anymore. But honestly Lexa, I really believe she likes you too.”

Lexa dropped her gaze down to her lap, where she twisted her fingers over. “But what if she says no?”

“But what if she says yes?” 

Lexa looked up to Raven’s intense brown eyes. “I can’t…”

“Yes, you can.” Raven gestured to the paper-wrapped book. “I’ve got a whole plan. You got her a gift, you’re going to get her a nice dessert, and you’re going to get her a rose. And you are going to tell your best friend in the whole world how you feel about her. Because she deserves to know the truth, and you deserve to know her answer.”

Lexa started to shake as she pulled at her fingers. Raven reached over and took her hands, steadying them and holding them tightly. 

“Lexa, isn’t any answer better than continuing to live caught in an impossible world of secrets and lies? Whatever she says, you’ll either be able to move on, or get your girl.”

The evening was cool, and goosebumps peppered Lexa’s arms, though she couldn’t tell if they were from the cold or her nerves. 

“Yeah. You’re right.” Her voice shook slightly, but she looked up and made eye contact with Raven. “You’re right.”

Her friend beamed and crushed her in a tight hug. Lexa hugged her back, trying to convey her thanks in all the words she couldn't say. 

“Of course I’m right. Now let’s get to the bakery and the florist before they close.”

oOo

“I can’t.”

Lexa was frozen in the doorway to her room, holding a book and a box of cupcakes in one hand and a gorgeous, full stem red rose in the other. Raven nudged her from behind. 

“Yes you can.”

Her hands were shaking as she put the gifts under her bed and laid the rose on her desk. She was nearly hyperventilating as she turned back to Raven. 

“But-”

“No.” Raven put her hands on Lexa’s shoulders. “You can do this. You need to do this.”

Lexa closed her eyes and pursed her lips. “I know I do but…”

“I know it’s scary Lexa, but you can do this. Just tell her how you feel. Give her the rose. If she says no, then the cupcakes and the book are thank you gifts for being understanding. If she says yes, then they’ll be the first gifts you give your new girlfriend.”

Lexa flinched but nodded slowly. “Okay.”

Raven checked her watch. “I should get going. Don’t wanna be here when Clarke gets back from wherever she is. Try and distract yourself okay? I know you can do this.”

Lexa nodded again and pulled her friend in for a hug. “Thank you Raven. For everything.”

Her friend chuckled and pulled back after a beat, walking back towards the door. “God you are getting soft on me.” But she smiled warmly and winked. “Good luck.” She closed the door, and Lexa was left standing alone in the dorm room. 

Clenching and unclenching her fists, the brunette tried to calm her racing heart. Raven was right, distraction was probably the best way to go. She grabbed a couple notebooks and threw them up onto her bed. As she settled down to work on her next essay, her phone buzzed. 

Raven: I expect full details ASAP freshmeat

Lexa grinned in spite of herself. Tucking her pencil behind her ear, she typed off a quick reply. 

Lexa: You’ll be the first to know.

She took a deep breath and opened up her notebooks and laptop. She probably wasn’t going to get much done, but she could at least try.


	4. Finally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two useless wlw finally have a long-overdue talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!! I hope you like how it all comes together!

Lexa was standing in the middle of the room, holding the rose tight in her hands, her knuckles white. Clarke stood across from her, puzzled. 

“Lex? What’s going on?”

Lexa, still frozen, could only lift her eyes and meet her friend’s gaze, all her words still stuck in her throat. Clarke looked at her hands grasping the rose and felt her heart fall. 

“Do you want me to call Raven?”

Trembling, Lexa managed to shake her head. “No.”

Suddenly, Clarke’s expression softened. “Oh hunny, did she break up with you?”

“No.” Lexa whispered again. She swallowed, and this time her voice came out a little clearer. “No. We...we were never really dating.”

Now Clarke was frozen. “What?”

Lexa took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to force out all her words at once. 

“Raven and I were never actually dating. She’s a friend but I didn’t want you to set me up with anyone and well you know how I am about being challenged so I just asked her to fake it with me but I never liked her and god knows she doesn’t like me…”

Lexa’s voice trailed off as she ran out of breath, her chest heaving but her head still light. Clarke furrowed her brow. 

“I...don't understand.” Something in her fluttered hopefully, but she forced it back down. 

Lexa ran a hand through her hair anxiously. “God Clarke I…” She clenched a fist in her hair and the sting helped to pull her back into her own body. 

“I like you.”

Silence stretched between them like a chasm, each unsure if they had the courage to cross. Lexa’s hands had stopped fidgeting on the rose, and she stood perfectly still. She hardly even took a breath. Clarke’s heart skipped a beat and her ears rang. 

“What?”

Lexa let out a nervous, strangled chuckle. She’d said it. There was no going back now. “I like you. I’ve liked you since highschool. God Clarke I am head over fucking heels for you.”

She held out the rose awkwardly. “This wasn’t from Raven. It was for you.”

Clarke gaped at her, utterly bewildered. Lexa dropped her hand, closing her eyes and feeling her stomach drop. 

“I...I’m sor-”

And suddenly, Clarke’s lips were on hers.

Lexa’s whole body melted and she wrapped her arms around her best friend’s shoulders, leaning into the kiss. Clarke’s hands found their way to her hips, gripping her like she might float away at any moment. Lexa pulled her closer, kissing back and taking Clarke’s bottom lip in her teeth. Clarke moaned slightly and moved her hands around to hold the brunette’s back. When Lexa let her lip go, she pulled away and rested their foreheads together. 

Clarke chuckled quietly as she tried to catch her breath. “God I have wanted to do that for years.”

Lexa’s knees nearly buckled as a hot blush spread across her cheeks. “Really?”

Clarke nodded. They still had their foreheads pressed together, both with their eyes closed. “Yeah.”

Lexa bit her lip, doubt rising up in her chest. “But you told me to get a girlfriend.”

Clarke pulled back but kept her hands securely gripping Lexa’s hips. “I told myself for a long time that I didn’t like you anymore. When we met, you were with Costia. I had a hopeless crush on you, but you were taken. And then…”

Lexa chuckled. “And then I tried to swear off women forever.”

Grinning, Clarke squeezed her hands on her friend’s hips. “Yeah. So I just convinced myself that I had gotten over you. Just refused to ever think about it. I even tried to date other people.”

Lexa grimaced. “Yeah. Bellamy.”

Clarke pulled them over to her bed, and they sat down, knees touching. “Yeah well I never told you why Bellamy dumped me.”

Lexa blinked at her. “Oh?”

“He...told me he wasn’t going to date someone who was ‘so obviously in love with her roommate’” Clarke curled her fingers in the air around Bellamy’s exact words. 

Lexa blushed even harder. “Really?”

“Yeah you useless little lesbian.”

“Hey! I’m not the one who lied to myself about having a crush.” Lexa said with a smirk. 

Clarke raised an eyebrow. “No, but you faked a relationship to avoid talking to me.”

“Touche. So the lesson here is that we are both useless and should have talked to each other years ago.”

Clarke smiled. “I suppose. So spill, when did you like me?”

“I don’t really know when it started. You were there for me when Costia cheated on me, and you were my best friend afterwards. You let me have my ‘I hate girls’ phase, and you just were always by my side. You were so cute and funny and confident and kind, and I just slowly fell for you.”

Clarke smiled and shook her head. “So you were falling for me while I was desperately trying to forget that I liked you.”

“Passing like ships in the night.”

“Yeah but we’re here now. And you like me,” Clarke reached out and took the rose. “And I like you.”

Lexa felt her heart skip a beat when their fingers touched. “So now what?”

Clarke grinned. “Now, cutie, I get to call you my girlfriend.”

She leaned forward and kissed Lexa again, feeling her warm lips pressed against her own. Lexa wrapped her arms around Clarke’s back and lowered her down to the bed, straddling her hips. 

“I swear Griffin, you are going to be the death of me.” Clarke grinned up at her and Lexa felt like she might just disintegrate. 

“Perhaps, but you’ve been driving me just as crazy for just as long.”

Lexa smirked and leaned down to kiss her, murmuring against her lips, “I like having you underneath me.”

Clarke dug her nails into Lexa’s hips. “Ha! You can’t keep me here.” 

Lexa pulled back and raised an eyebrow, another smirk pulling at the edges of her lips. 

“Prove it.”

oOo

Raven was playing on her phone with her head across her girlfriend’s lap when she got the text. 

Lexa: Attachment: 1 Image

Her stomach twisted as she tapped on the message. “Oh god please let us be right.”

The image loaded and there was Lexa, eyes closed and kissing Clarke. She had one arm up to take the picture, and Clarke had both arms looped behind her girlfriend’s neck. On the corner of the bed was a half eaten box of cupcakes and the ripped remains of brown paper wrapping.

“Yes!!” Raven pumped her arm and sat up, turning her phone to show her girlfriend. 

Octavia grinned and high fived her. “Nice job with the rose. That was the perfect touch.”

“Thank you, thank you very much.” Raven said with a mock Elvis accent. “And throwing corn in her hair?? Brilliant.”

Octavis raised her chin haughtily. “Yes yes I’m a genius.”

The two girls glanced at each other and dissolved into giggles. After wiping tears out of her eyes, Raven glanced back at her phone. 

“So you think we can tell them about us now?”

Octavia grinned. “Now that we’re not plotting against them? Yeah I think we can share.”

“I mean, I don’t think we were ever plotting against them.” Raven said, her brow furrowed in confusion. 

“Oh pu-lease babe! We’d been planning this from the very first evening Lexa asked you to fake date her!” Octavia rolled her eyes. “God I did not expect Clarke to take so long to figure out her shit though.”

Raven shrugged. “Yeah but it was good timing! I managed to get Lexa to the bookstore and everything after you texted.”

“Ha! Yes it is soooo lucky that Clarke decided to have a gay panic session with me in the dining hall.” Octavia rolled her eyes. “What did you originally have planned for the night?”

“Just a movie. But for my part with Clarke, I always tried to make our dates seem fantastical. Anything to encourage her long-overdue romantic realizations.”

Octavia kissed her lightly. “We make a good team.”

Raven looked down at the picture of their happy friends. “Damn right we do.”


End file.
